1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image sensor, and more particularly, it relates to an image sensor comprising an optical sensor and a support portion supporting the optical sensor.
2. Description of the Background Art
An image sensor comprising an optical sensor and a support portion supporting the optical sensor is known in general, as disclosed in each of Japanese Patent Laying-Open Nos. 2007-10934, 2001-133564 and 2006-71825, for example.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2007-10934 discloses a camera module comprising a photointerrupter (optical sensor) detecting the origin of a lens-barrel, a PI (photointerrupter) extracting board for supplying power to the photointerrupter, a base plate (support portion) receiving the photointerrupter thereby supporting all surfaces of the photointerrupter except the upper surface and a PI holder fixed to the base plate with positioning pins for coming into contact with the upper surface of the photointerrupter thereby fixing the photointerrupter to the base plate.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-133564 discloses an electronic apparatus comprising a transmission photointerrupter (optical sensor) detecting a rotational position of a driven member (movable portion), a base plate (support portion) including a positioning projecting portion fitted with the transmission photointerrupter for supporting the transmission photointerrupter from above and a circuit board supporting the transmission photointerrupter from below through an external electrode. The external electrode of this electronic apparatus is provided on the circuit board, in order to supply power to the transmission photointerrupter. The circuit board is fixed to the base plate with circuit board fixing screws. Thus, the transmission photointerrupter is so formed as not to separate from the external electrode, and fixed to be held between the base plate and the circuit board.
The aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2006-71825 discloses a sensor arrangement structure for a drive module comprising the drive module including a lens-barrel, a photointerrupter (optical sensor) for detecting the position of the origin of the lens-barrel and a gear support (support portion) including a sensor arrangement portion fitted with the optical sensor for supporting a gear driving the lens-barrel. The photointerrupter of this sensor arrangement structure is fixed to the gear support with an adhesive.
In the camera module described in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2007-10934, however, the PI holder and the positioning pins are required in order to fix the photointerrupter (PI) to the base plate (support portion), and hence the number of components is disadvantageously increased.
In the electronic apparatus described in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-133564, the circuit board fixing screws for fixing the circuit board to the base plate are required in order to hold the transmission photointerrupter between the base plate (support portion) and the circuit board for fixing the same. Therefore, the number of components is disadvantageously increased.
In the sensor arrangement structure for a drive module described in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2006-71825, the adhesive must be employed for fixing the photointerrupter to the sensor arrangement portion of the gear support (support portion), and hence the operation for fixing the photointerrupter is disadvantageously complicated.